FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND INVESTORS
How Do You Build Strong Relationships?
10 Super Simple Tips
We’ve written several articles on the importance of relationship building for team collaboration, leading others, and growing your social capital. But how are strong relationships built?
Below I share ten super simple tips you can use immediately to help you enhance your relationship-building skills.
1. Just Be You
It’s hard to build a relationship with someone when you feel like you don’t know them. So start by just being yourself, be genuine.
2. Earn Trust
Trust takes a long time to build, but it is the single most important component of a strong relationship. Take the time to build trust.
3. Listen Actively
People feel appreciated and valued when you listen to them and take the time to understand them and their needs. Practice being an active listener.
4. Be Reliable
It’s hard to build a relationship if you feel like you cannot count on the other person. Be dependable. Show up.
5. Show Appreciation
Take the time to show others that you care and appreciate them. It facilitates positive emotions and strengthens connections.
6. Communicate Clearly
Clear communication promotes understanding and shared mental models. When you are open and honest with others, it helps to build trust.
7. Be Open-Minded
Be willing to learn from others and consider their unique perspectives. Dismissing or shutting down others’ ideas will weaken ties.
8. Stay Connected
This might be obvious, but to build relationships, you actually need to interact with others. Follow-up with new connections. Find reasons to send short notes, schedule a “catch-up” meeting, or share an interesting article.
9. Find Commonalities
People like others who have things in common with them. Find a shared interest — it can be as simple as a favorite sports team (Go Hawkeyes!) or sharing membership in the same professional association (any SIOP members out there?).
10. Help Out
Offer to help out by making introductions, providing feedback, or simply listening. When you do nice things for others and help them out, they are more likely to feel positive towards you.
Conclusion
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but it’s so important I’m going to say it: relationships are everything in the business world. Building new relationships is critical. But even more critical is ensuring that you take the time to strengthen existing relationships.
Do you have any tips for building strong relationships that I didn’t mention? Share in the comment section below so we can learn from each other.
Need Advice or Have Questions?
Speaking of relationships: Blackhawke partners with the Endurance Group to help those in the entrepreneurial ecosystem leverage human and social capital for growth and success using various data-based methods. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with a Blackhawke I-O psychologist or a free demo of the Endurance Group’s Commonality tool to help you evaluate your social capital.
We’ll happily provide advice or answer your questions, no strings attached!
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